Selfless Deeds Provide Teen Brains Protection from Depression

According to a recent study written up in The Atlantic Monthly, teenagers who participate in meaningful, selfless deeds are less depressed than teens who engage in "selfish" behaviors (e.g., video game playing or using drugs and alcohol). The original study was quite small (39 participants), but it does seem to validate conventional wisdom - that those who help others often experience more fulfillment and happiness in their lives than those motivated to seek pleasure in the short-term.  

Late adolescence is a time when depression peaks for many, and this study suggests one factor which might offer protection from teen depression.